Small transport enters class C airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	290891
Time
Date	199412
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3300 msl bound upper : 3300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 955 flight time type : 205
ASRS Report	290891
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 4000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem arose due to equipment malfunction: an alternator failure had occurred. Because of this, most navigation and communication equipment was shut off. 1 communication radio, 1 LORAN receiver and the transponder/encoder were left on. This combination allowed direct navigation to destination but provided no cross course navigational fixes. Contributing factors: I thought I was far enough from class C airspace to prevent an incursion. I had been listening to lunken airport (luk) ATIS. This narrative warned of a 1750 ft MSL tower that was unlighted and most likely in my flight path. I also could see that I would be crossing the approach path for several aircraft lined up for the cincinnati approach. Since I thought I was legally clear of the lateral class C boundary limit, I devoted most of my attention to looking for the unlighted tower and looking for approaching aircraft. How it was discovered: after I landed at lunken airport, ground control told me to call cincinnati approach control. When I called them the controller told me that I had violated class C airspace and had caused an airspace conflict. Corrective actions: should have contacted approach control for flight following even though I had no intention of entering class C airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ENTERS CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE DUE TO EQUIP MALFUNCTION: AN ALTERNATOR FAILURE HAD OCCURRED. BECAUSE OF THIS, MOST NAV AND COM EQUIP WAS SHUT OFF. 1 COM RADIO, 1 LORAN RECEIVER AND THE XPONDER/ENCODER WERE LEFT ON. THIS COMBINATION ALLOWED DIRECT NAV TO DEST BUT PROVIDED NO CROSS COURSE NAVIGATIONAL FIXES. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I THOUGHT I WAS FAR ENOUGH FROM CLASS C AIRSPACE TO PREVENT AN INCURSION. I HAD BEEN LISTENING TO LUNKEN ARPT (LUK) ATIS. THIS NARRATIVE WARNED OF A 1750 FT MSL TWR THAT WAS UNLIGHTED AND MOST LIKELY IN MY FLT PATH. I ALSO COULD SEE THAT I WOULD BE XING THE APCH PATH FOR SEVERAL ACFT LINED UP FOR THE CINCINNATI APCH. SINCE I THOUGHT I WAS LEGALLY CLR OF THE LATERAL CLASS C BOUNDARY LIMIT, I DEVOTED MOST OF MY ATTN TO LOOKING FOR THE UNLIGHTED TWR AND LOOKING FOR APCHING ACFT. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: AFTER I LANDED AT LUNKEN ARPT, GND CTL TOLD ME TO CALL CINCINNATI APCH CTL. WHEN I CALLED THEM THE CTLR TOLD ME THAT I HAD VIOLATED CLASS C AIRSPACE AND HAD CAUSED AN AIRSPACE CONFLICT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED APCH CTL FOR FLT FOLLOWING EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO INTENTION OF ENTERING CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.